The Yokohama Giga Spirits are a Japanese corporate basketball team based in Yokohama, Kanagawa.[1]

Yokohama Giga Spirits
LeaguesJapan Basketball League
Founded1955
LocationAkita, Akita (1955-1987)
Yokohama, Kanagawa (1987-present)
Head coachTaisuke Koyama
Websitewww.team-web.jp/gigaspirit/index.php

History

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Akita Isuzu Motors 1955-1987

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Akita Isuzu Motors
 
LeaguesJBL2, JBL
Founded1955
ArenaAkita Prefectural Gymnasium
LocationAkita, Akita
PresidentShozaburo Makinae
Head coachMototaka Kohama
Championships1983 (2nd Division)

Akita Isuzu Motors basketball team was founded by Shozaburo Makinae in 1955.[2] Makinae currently serves as a director and corporate adviser for the Akita Northern Happinets of B.League. They practiced at Sannoh Junior High School gymnasium in 1960's and 1970's.[3]

Head coaches

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Notable players

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Honors and titles

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JBL2

  • Champions (1): 1983
  • Runners-up (1): 1982

Emperor's Cup

Japan Industrial and Commercial Basketball Federation Championships

  • Runners-up (1): 1981

National Sports Festival of Japan

  • Champions (2): 

Isuzu Motors Lynx/Giga Cats 1987-2002

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Isuzu Motors Lynx/Giga Cats
 
ConferenceJBL
Founded1987
LocationYokohama, Kanagawa
Head coachMototaka Kohama
Dwane Casey
Championships1988, 1995,1996, 1997, 1998, 2000

The team moved to Yokohama, Kanagawa in 1987.[6] The club enjoyed its golden age winning JBL championships 6 times. Isuzu shut down their basketball and baseball clubs in 2002.

Head coach

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Due to the Emery scandal in 1989, Kohama and Casey were reunited.

Notable players

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Honors and titles

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JBL

  • Champions (6): 1988, 1995,1996, 1997, 1998, 2000
  • Runners-up (2): 1999. 2001

Emperor's Cup

  • Champions (5): 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001
  • 3rd place (2): 1990, 2002

ABC Champions Cup

  • Runners-up (1): 1996
  • 4th place (1): 1997

ABA Club Championship

  • Runners-up (1): 2001

Yokohama Giga Cats 2002-2005

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Kohama led the revamped Giga Cats, after Isuzu dropped sponsorship, as a club team until 2005.

Notable players

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Yokohama Giga Spirits 2005-present

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Notable players

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References

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  1. ^ Yokohama Giga Spirit (26 October 2017). "Yokohama Giga Spirit". Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  2. ^ Hirokuasaku (29 September 2014). "秋田いすゞ". Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  3. ^ Watanabe, Akira (8 September 2017). "15. バスケ王国秋田を語る時忘れてはならない存在。それが秋田いすず自動車バスケットボール部だ!". Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  4. ^ Akita Sakigake (7 September 2014). "米国選手で戦力補う". Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  5. ^ Akita Sakigake (7 September 2014). "バスケでかなえる夢". Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  6. ^ Odeven, Ed (21 January 2011). "Valuable asset". Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  7. ^ Odeven, Ed (27 August 2016). "Kohama-Casey friendship endures". Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  8. ^ Lebron, Steven (12 April 2017). "Raptors coach Dwane Casey and late, great Japanese basketball coach Mototaka Kohama were two of a kind". Retrieved 2 November 2017.
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